Louvre Museum Theft (2025)

Louvre Museum Robbery (2025) is an organized theft that occurred on 19 October 2025 at the Louvre Museum in Paris, the capital of France, targeting the French Royal Jewels displayed in the museum’s “Galerie d’Apollon” section.

Course of the Robbery

The robbery occurred at approximately 09:30 local time on Sunday 19 October 2025, about thirty minutes after the museum opened to the public. A group of four unarmed individuals reached the first-floor “Galerie d’Apollon” section via a truck-mounted crane (mechanical lifting platform) installed on the building’s exterior. The thieves entered the building by cutting through one of the windows facing the river using a spiral saw. Once inside, they broke two high-security display cases and stole eight pieces from the exhibited jewels.

The robbery lasted only between six and seven minutes. The museum’s alarm system was triggered, and staff safely evacuated visitors. No injuries occurred during the incident. The thieves escaped using two powerful scooters. During their escape, the ninth item targeted—the crown belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III—was dropped and found damaged near the museum.

Stolen Items

According to the French Ministry of Culture, the eight stolen jewels are all historical pieces from the 19th century and possess “inestimable cultural heritage value.” The stolen items include:

• A diamond and emerald-encrusted crown belonging to Empress Eugénie (1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds),
• A diamond brooch belonging to Eugénie,
• An emerald necklace and earrings belonging to Empress Marie-Louise (32 emeralds and 1,138 diamonds),
• A sapphire crown, necklace and single earring belonging to Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense (8 sapphires and 631 diamonds),
• A commemorative brooch known as the “Relic Brooch.”

A total of nine objects were targeted; eight were stolen. The crown of Empress Eugénie was dropped by the thieves and later recovered by authorities.

Official Statements and Reactions

Following the incident, the Louvre Museum announced it would close for the day “due to extraordinary circumstances.” The museum administration stated that police investigations were ongoing to preserve all evidence at the scene.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a statement on the social media platform X, said, “This theft at the Louvre is an attack on our history and on the heritage we hold dear.” Macron emphasized that the items would be recovered and the perpetrators brought to justice. He also recalled that under the “New Renaissance Louvre” project launched in January, the museum’s security was scheduled for enhancement.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati visited the museum and conducted an inspection, noting that “no such comprehensive security review had been carried out in 40 years.” Dati described the robbery as “highly professional and non-violent.”

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that a specialized police unit was investigating the case and that the thieves may be linked to a professional criminal organization. The investigation examined video footage, escape routes, and the technical specifications of the truck-mounted crane used in the crime.

Jordan Bardella, General Secretary of the National Rally party, stated, “The Louvre is a global symbol of our culture. The theft of the French Royal Jewels is an unacceptable humiliation for our country.”

Security and Investigation Findings

The investigation was led by Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau. Beccuau noted that the thieves concealed their faces, some wore yellow safety vests, and one dropped his vest during the escape. It was also determined that the thieves attempted to set fire to the crane used in the robbery but failed.

An unpublished preliminary report by France’s Court of Auditors (Cour des comptes) revealed serious security deficiencies at the museum. According to the report, one-third of the rooms in the Denon wing—including the Galerie d’Apollon—had no security cameras at all. Only 138 new cameras had been installed over five years, leaving approximately two-thirds of the museum still unmonitored. The report also stated that despite the museum’s annual budget of 323 million euros, delays in security investments had become “a persistent administrative neglect.” The museum administration responded that the “Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance” project aims to address these shortcomings. This was the first major robbery at the museum since the last significant incident in 1998.

Implementation of New Security Measures

On 21 October 2025, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati addressed the National Assembly, referencing the audit report’s findings on security gaps and announcing that the government had implemented new security measures. Dati stated that the museum’s camera systems would be modernized, all security control rooms would be upgraded, and additional protective systems would be installed around the Louvre. She also confirmed that new recommendations for safeguarding the collections had been issued to the museum administration and were being acted upon.

Resignation of the Louvre Museum Director

On 23 October 2025, Louvre Museum Director Laurence des Cars testified before the French Senate’s Culture Committee. Des Cars stated that the robbery, carried out in seven minutes, exposed the inadequacy of the museum’s cameras and the technological obsolescence of its security systems. Des Cars labeled the incident a “major failure” and, accepting responsibility, submitted her resignation to Culture Minister Rachida Dati. However, her resignation was not accepted. Des Cars called for the establishment of a permanent police station within the museum and emphasized that the event had caused deep distress among museum staff.

The Louvre reopened for visits a few days after its security systems were upgraded and surveillance was increased. Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated on 22 October 2025 that the total monetary value of the stolen items was approximately 88 million euros.

Arrests and Progress of the Investigation

On 25 October 2025, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office arrested two individuals as part of the investigation into the Louvre Museum heist. According to the prosecutor’s statement, the suspects were taken into custody on charges of “organized theft” and “forming a criminal organization” and later formally detained by a court. It was reported that both suspects are from the northern suburbs of Paris: one is a 39-year-old taxi driver and the other a 34-year-old cleaner. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that DNA samples from the suspects matched traces found at the crime scene.

One of the arrested suspects was apprehended shortly before boarding a one-way flight to Algeria at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. A total of five individuals were taken into custody during the investigation, two of whom were detained. The other three were released after giving statements. The prosecutor’s office revealed that the two detained suspects had partially confessed to their involvement and provided information about some of the equipment used during the crime.

A third arrest occurred on 1 November 2025. A 38-year-old woman was taken into custody in northern Paris, bringing the total number of detainees to three. Prosecution sources indicated that the investigation is still ongoing and that further arrests are possible. The French Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the stolen jewelry had not yet been recovered, but other valuable items seized for security reasons had been transferred to the Bank of France in Paris.

During the investigation, the identity of one suspect was disclosed to the French press. The individual in question is identified as Abdoulaye N., a social media content creator who previously worked as a museum security officer. It was reported that Abdoulaye N. had previously served as a security guard at the Pompidou Centre and was known on social media under the alias “Doudou Cross Bitume.” According to press sources, DNA samples from Abdoulaye N. were also detected at the crime scene in the Louvre Museum.

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office further stated that new evidence gathered during the investigation suggests the crime was likely planned by a small group of individuals who knew each other, rather than by a professional organized criminal network.

Findings Regarding the Security System

New information about the Louvre Museum’s security infrastructure emerged during the investigation. It was reported to the press that the password for the museum’s video surveillance system was “Louvre”, a detail confirmed by one of the museum’s employees. This revelation led to increased public criticism of the museum’s security measures following the heist.

Laurence des Cars, Director of the Louvre Museum, testified before the French Senate that the cameras in the museum’s Galerie d’Apollon section were technically operational, but that the single camera on the exterior facade was incorrectly oriented. Des Cars noted that the external camera was facing west and did not cover the window through which the thieves entered. She also stated that the museum’s alarm systems were triggered during the incident but that vulnerabilities existed due to insufficient investment in perimeter security. Des Cars emphasized that the security system functioned properly within the museum building, but that the attack exploited an unexpected method.